September 11, 2001
When I was very young, I remember travelling to New York City and seeing that skyline for the very first time. Driving into New York, I remember having a competition with friends and family to see who could see the Twin Towers or the Empire State Building first. Driving home, I remember unfastening my seatbelt, turning around, and gazing at that skyline until the tips of the Towers were no longer visible.
I remember the day I walked in the Tobin plaza between the towers, looking up at them as night fell. For those of you who never had the opportunity to stand on the observation deck, let me tell you what it was like. You could look north and see the entire length of Manhattan and well into upstate New York. You could look east, out over Brooklyn and Long Island and see the Atlantic Ocean in the distance. The observant eye would notice a beautiful green statue just below, its torch raised and welcoming the boats constantly entering the port. Looking west on a good day, you could glimpse the distant mountains of New Jersey and supposedly the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. In short, you felt as if you had a stationary “window on the world.”
In the summer of 2001, I took a cruise out of New York City in the afternoon, and remember standing on the deck at twilight, in international waters, looking west, and seeing the two structures illuminated against the setting sun.
For me therefore, September 11, 2001 was an extremely sad day. I knew the death toll would be fearfully staggering. I knew that such buildings would probably never again grace the skyline of New York City. As someone who views New York City as the supreme achievement and embodiment of the spirit of the American people, I wondered if the city would survive.
Thanks to the indomitable resolve of the citizens of New York, its political leaders, and yes, President Bush, the city is thriving again and retains its magnetic draw for so many people around the world. The view may have been destroyed, but I believe the dream, what the Towers symbolized for those who remember them, will remain with us for the rest of our lives and serve as an inspiration for future generations of Americans.
May God bless the souls of the departed and grant solace to the bereaved…
Subscribe to blog feed.